the role of \"the scientific method\" in agnostic thinking (Introduction)

by xeno6696 , Sonoran Desert, Wednesday, June 09, 2010, 02:56 (5281 days ago) @ John the Agnostic

John, Welcome!
> hi guys, i'm new to this forum, but i wanted to sample the opinions of people here by asking the following question. 
> 
> "what if any is the role of "the scientific method" in seeking proof of Gods existence or lack there of?" 
> -The extreme difficulty is like this. Imagine the light emanating from a star. Does it emanate only in one place, or does it emanate from every direction? -As you increase your distance from the star, the amount of light visible to you decreases: your field of vision is only so wide. As you continue out, to billions upon billions of miles, the amount of light you can see shrinks until quite possibly--you cannot see it anymore. -Time works in the same fashion: As you increase time from an event, you decrease the chances of being able to see it, to learn about it, or to reconstruct it. All we have is inferences. Inferences about an event so distant in time, that no real consensus can exist: so what then?-Science patently can only study the material world. Therefore, only if God is material, can any part of it be studied by science. Most theists hold to the notion that God is immaterial; but the word "most" indicates that there is disagreement on this; -The argument--the entire debate--has nothing to do with the existence of gods at all, but it is the clashing of two meta-memes, one incredibly ancient, and one incredibly young. God only exists in the minds of men: for if man did not exist, there would be no receptacle for the idea "God." This is not to say that such an entity doesn't exist, but that the entire debate is centered on opposing epistemologies. The fact is that no scientist has ever found material evidence for or against God; the best one can do is create a meme to fit the evidence; this goes for BOTH positions, theist, and atheist.

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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"

\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"